In a significant push for sports infrastructure development, Ghana’s Minister for Sports and Recreation, Hon. Kofi Iddie Adams, has formally invited Turkish firms and experts to assist with upgrading existing stadiums and constructing multipurpose world-class sports facilities across the country.
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This initiative was announced during Ghana’s participation in the 13th World Cooperation Industries Forum in Istanbul.
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Strengthening Bilateral Ties in Sports Infrastructure
During the gathering of global leaders and key industry players, Minister Adams met with Türkiye’s Ministry of Trade representatives to advocate Ghana’s position as a strategic partner. Discussions focused on leveraging Turkish engineering expertise and investment capacity to modernize Ghana’s sports venues.
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The Minister highlighted that this partnership aligns with Ghana’s broader vision: using sports as a driver for youth empowerment, health, and economic development.
Infrastructure Challenges and the Need for Urgent Action
Recent setbacks have underscored the urgency of enhancing Ghana’s sports infrastructure. For instance:
- The revered Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi was deemed unfit for international matches by CAF due to safety and facility deficiencies.
- Similarly, Accra Sports Stadium has been slated for closure to undergo comprehensive renovations, including critical upgrades to seating, floodlights, and structural integrity.
These issues threaten Ghana’s capacity to host major tournaments and reflect broader infrastructure shortcomings.
Ongoing Projects and Future Plans
Ghana has already made progress in delivering modern sports infrastructure:
- The Borteyman Sports Complex, completed ahead of the 2023 African Games, stands as a state-of-the-art multi-disciplinary facility.
- Regional upgrades, like the Koforidua Sports Stadium, have transformed older stadiums into modern youth resource centers featuring basketball courts, ICT hubs, and athletic tracks.
- Investments by private sector partnerships, such as the Tarkwa-Akosso Stadium overhaul funded by Gold Fields Foundation to FIFA specifications, further demonstrate progress.
Despite these advances, Ghana’s current sports infrastructure remains concentrated in a few urban centers, leaving many regions underserved.
Why Turkish Collaboration Makes Sense
The sports minister emphasized that partnering with Turkish firms could bring numerous benefits:
- Modern Sporting Facilities – Upgrading outdated venues to FIFA/CAF standards and constructing new multipurpose stadia.
- Technical Expertise – Drawing on Turkey’s experience in stadium construction, facility management, and sports engineering.
- Economic Growth – Building facilities that stimulate job creation, tourism, and local economic activity.
- Fair Transformation – Empowering youth and communities across Ghana’s regions with access to international-standard facilities.
These efforts align with national goals of promoting sports as a tool for regional equity and national unity.
Ensuring Equitable Regional Development
President John Dramani Mahama has committed to building modern stadiums in Ghana’s six newly created regions, recognizing that accessible sports venues can foster youth participation and regional balance.
Combined with plans to revitalize legendary venues like Baba Yara and Accra Stadium, and to expand infrastructure through private-public cooperation, Ghana’s sports minister appears to be crafting a balanced, multi-tiered development model.
As Ghana continues discussions with Türkiye, the following milestones are anticipated:
- Framework agreements with Turkish construction firms and sports infrastructure specialists.
- A timeline for stadium upgrades, starting with Accra and Kumasi, while planning new sites in underserved regions.
- Funding strategies based on a combination of government investment, international partnerships, and private sector contributions.
Additionally, Ghana will rely on oversight and accountability mechanisms to ensure facility quality, cost efficiency, and long-term sustainability.
Ghana’s outreach to Türkiye for sports infrastructure development marks a forward-looking shift in national sports policy. By combining international expertise with focused regional development, the country aims not only to renovate aging venues but also to build a resilient, equitable sports ecosystem fit for the future.
With President Mahama’s support and Minister Adams’ proactive posture, Ghana stands poised to usher in a new era of sporting excellence—one where world-class facilities support national talent, economic development, and community upliftment across every region.
